Correct Answer: Option A) 1 only
e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market) is a pan-India electronic trading portal that aims to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities by networking existing APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis.
Statement 1: e-NAM integrates wholesale markets (APMCs) through a digital portal.
This statement is correct. e-NAM was launched in 2016 to integrate existing APMCs across the country through a common online market platform. It connects various mandis (wholesale markets) digitally, allowing for price discovery, online trading, and better market access. The platform enables existing physical mandis to come online and be part of a unified trading system.
Statement 2: Farmers can directly sell produce to consumers via e-NAM without APMC involvement.
This statement is incorrect. e-NAM does not bypass APMCs; rather, it works through the existing APMC system. Farmers still need to bring their produce to registered APMC mandis that are part of the e-NAM network. The platform facilitates trading within the APMC framework by making the process more transparent and efficient. It does not eliminate the role of APMCs but digitizes their operations.
e-NAM provides benefits like:
Transparent price discovery
Online payment systems
Quality assaying
Better access to markets for farmers
Reduced transaction costs
